Op-Ed: Are Same-Sex Unions Really Such a Horrible Thing?

From a traditional standpoint, the institution of marriage has been long gone for quite some time. Nearly half of all heterosexual unions fail, leaving children without a family. So why is it that so many people are against gay marriage?

It tops entertainment news on a regular basis, another celebrity divorces after just one month of marriage: their fifth one to be exact. And we all wonder, what about the children? It isn't the norm, but in actuality, it isn't far from it with the divorce statistics coming in at just under half of all first time marriages ending in divorce. Along with those marriages comes someone pushing the baby carriage, or two, or three! And what does happen to those children? They end up in family court, are pawns in a custody battle, recipients of child support if lucky and have issues in life with going back and forth between parents. Heaven forbid there exists one ounce of tension between the divorced couple. In a recent landmark decision that allows for the marriage of gay couples, supporters of the ruling cheered as plans for future wedding bells were being made as early as June 17, although a delay of those plans may be underway as ten other states filed a petition to delay the date. The Los Angeles Times reported that Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, South Carolina, South Dakota and Utah, who all protested their now being forced to recognize same sex marriages, filed a petition to delay the date of "recognition" to as late as mid-August.

The Proposition 22 Legal Defense and Education Fund had asked that the date be put off until after the November election, when a ballot measure will ask voters to reinstate the ban on same-sex marriage.

California believes that their petition is based on a belief that voters WILL be in favour of a ban and that in itself makes their request improper. Another report in the news today comes out of New York, as Governor David Paterson takes a strong stand in support of gay marriage. Paterson, who was taken care of by his gay "uncles" when his parents would go out of town, unexpectedly assumed his role as New York's Governor during the Spitzer resignation. His basic stance is that all couples, regardless of sexual orientation, should be allowed the same basic rights and that includes the right to marry. Governor Paterson was quoted as saying “I think it’s fine, regardless of the tenets of religion or the beliefs of some. It’s something that the government should allow for people. It’s maybe misunderstood in this generation.” Conservatives in New York are outraged at Paterson's public statements geared towards gay marriage, saying his statements are without legislative support. The Times quoted Michael Long, chairman of the state’s Conservative Party as saying in response to Paterson's take on gay unions:

“He’s for same-sex marriage, that’s fine. I have no problem with that. To do this in the dark of night, through the back door, to begin the process of destroying the sanctity of marriage, is really wrong.”

The political and religious battle continues to rage on and on, with traditions and procreation being the reason for banning the union. And although there are many other reasons that spawn both sides of the debate, the basic issue boils down to somewhere, marriage laws were based upon traditional values. So what happened to those traditional values? Do all weddings occur in a traditional Christian church, with the virgin bride adorned in white, symbolic of her purity? A question that need not be answered, only pondered. People step outside of tradition all of the time, seeking their local Justice of the Peace as a means of tying the knot. Still others fly to Las Vegas, get drunk and promise eternity, only to wake up next to their new spouse. Many of these non-traditional heterosexual married couples copulate and reproduce offspring, apply for healthcare benefits, receive tax breaks, entitlements to each other's retirement in the event of death and so much more...only to find they aren't meant to be. When two people are truly in love, but are of the same sex, how can it be that simple procreation and religious beliefs suddenly become the determining factor to classify their ability to form a union? Many never even want children, much less can have them and their lives together are based upon nothing of lesser value than those who are heterosexual but do in fact have children and have created a world of negative statistics surrounding those children. California seems to understand the equality as does Paterson. Lets hope the rest of the country gets the picture.